A Raven's Kiss
by katy1030
Summary: He knows he doesn't deserve her, but that doesn't stop him. AU one shot where Diaval is the one who wakes Aurora up from her sleep.


**So, here's a Maleficent AU where Diaval is the one who wakes up Aurora cause I just couldn't resist shipping it in the movie. **

What good was a human body if he couldn't do any good with it? When he was a Raven and he felt helpless there was always that thought that there was nothing he could do, and he never felt the need to. He felt no need to risk his beautiful self for others, and why would he? He had no relationships. He had no one he cared about and no one he loved.

Now it was all different. When Maleficent turned him into a human he was assaulted by an onslaught of human emotions, not to mention those pesky human attachments. He had developed a close relationship with Maleficent. Yes, he served her, but throughout the years the relationship had grown into friendship. They had practically raised Aurora together, and that only aided his present dilemma.

He supposed he should have noticed earlier. He had so much hope in that pretty boy prince, so much hope that he was the answer, even though something tightened in his stomach at the mere thought of that boy pressing his lips to Aurora's. He had thought it a fatherly urge to protect, but no, no that wasn't it at all because now, watching Maleficent speak to Aurora in soft tones he realized something:

If she didn't wake up he would never see her smile again and it killed him inside.

The truth hit him so hard it left him breathless and all he could do was stare at her form on the bed. When he was a raven he preferred to stay in the Moors because humans were nasty and vicious to his kind. He had never met a human child who could light up a room with their laugh, but Aurora could. She was a ray of sunshine in a room of gray.

He didn't deserve her, he realized that. She was a princess and he was a bird. She was so young and so full of happiness and joy that it left him in awe of her.

So what would he do if he would be denied her face every day? He realized, vaguely, that he was being selfish. That he shouldn't worry about his own feelings, but his mistress because even from afar he could see the tears that fell from her eyes as she bent down to press a kiss to Aurora's head. Maleficent had finally admitted her love for the child and now it was like her own daughter would never wake up again and it was because of her.

Maleficent looked away and out the window as if she could not bear the sight of the girl who looked so alone and cold. He felt absolutely helpless.

"Let us leave, Diaval." Maleficent said, promptly turning and walking away from him. The tear tracks on his face glinted in the light and a pain stabbed through him, but he did not follow her. Instead, he walked to the bed and fell to his knees beside Aurora as if his legs would no longer support him.

He had always known that this would happen, but it had never been real until now. His eyes were suddenly overcome with a strange burning sensation that he had never experienced before and he was stricken by it. He leaned his forehead against the soft mattress and closed his blurring eyes. _Perhaps,_ Diaval thought bitterly, _True love is not real. Maleficent was right._

"Diaval," Maleficent repeated, but there was no anger in her voice. She only sounded tired, as if all the energy had been drained out of her.

He looked up only to see her silhouette as lightening flashed outside. He stumbled to his feet because he would no longer be selfish, he would no longer cause her the pain of knowing that this was her fault. Of course, he would never say that to her because it was partially his fault also. He did nothing to stop Maleficent's curse, not that he could've done anything even if he wanted too.

He reached down and brushed away a piece of her golden hair and he knew that if he was never to hear her laugh again or see her smile. If he was to only observe her from afar through a window for the rest of his days then he would have to give into this last temptation. For a moment he would pretend he was her prince and that would have to be good enough for him.

"Mistress," He said softly, addressing Maleficent. "Please forgive me for this."

And so he leaned down and he pressed his lips softly against Aurora's. His kiss was gentle, if not brief, but he could not deny the fire that raced through his veins or the electricity that flowed through his heart. When he pulled himself away he felt as if he was drowning and she was his the last breathe of air he would ever take.

He closed his eyes as if he was in pain and turned away, as if he was in physical pain. He froze only when a soft hand gripped his, turning him around, and he heard an intake of breath. He turned around only to see Aurora, his Aurora, propped up on her elbow and looking at him with wide eyes.

And he was struck by the way the barely there light lit up her face and how her gold hair cascaded in waves down her shoulders. He was left breathless by her beauty by how _alive_ she was and he realized he did that. He woke her up from a slumber said to be endless and unbreakable. He broke a curse that's only weakness was said to be true love's kiss.

His kiss.

"I thought that was you, Pretty Bird." And that soft, familiar smile lit up her face just as lightning illuminated the room with its brightness.

_Yes, _he thought in wonder, _I must be in love._


End file.
